Wichita eagle., 1887-07-09
CHATTING WITH MR.. CONKLING.

| From the Chicago Times.
Roscoe Conkling, of New York, arrived
in town yesterday on business of purely
legal character. Since he voluntarily,
though somewhat prematurely, relin-
quished the toga of United States senator.
MIR. Conkling says he has given but little
! thought to political affairs, end has attend
ed strictly to his own legal business. The
ex senator looks much the same as he did
| three years ago. except that his hair and
whiskers have grown whittier and thinner.
Law, music. weather and the late wheat
furry on change were all artistically
touched upon by this prince of CONVEX
sat,onalists, who was evidently determined
to avoid political interview. After a
pause the reporter for the Times calmly in
CURED: -.
"Will you be induced to cast the peliti
cal horoscope before you leave Chicagoy
That depends very much upon you
gentlemen of the press. l should not be
surprised if l should see as vision In q
dream, my political prophecies heralded
forth to the world. and perhaps will not be
able to recognize them at all. No. no;
politics am not thinking about at all. and
do not care to think much about subject
which am thoroughly done with.
There was a rumor to the effect that
YOU were quietly leading widespread ef-
fort to nominate Gen. Phil Sheridan for
the Presidency, and thus become master OF
the political situation"
Upon my soul did not know that
Sheridan was candidate" answered Mr.
Conkling, smiling. Il presume that Mr..
Blaine is, and it would not surprise me to
hear that Sherman had some aspirations in
that direction, but Sheridan | never heard
OF In that connection. notice one thing,
however. and that is that the gentlemen
who want political preferment have care
fully studied the old maxim about the early
bird and the worm, and they are not going
to be too late in announcing themselves
| think Mr.. Sherman was in Illinois q
short time ago, was he notF
YES, and Seuator Allison, OF Iowa, has
been here several times since.
"Oh. yes. TO be sure: Allison. OK
course. He Is candidate, too, presume.
Well. these gentlemen all believe IN the
good old doctrine of the greatest good 70
the greatest number-but mind you, the
greatest number to them is generally num-
Der one. Now" after a knowing pause.
Il suppose Illinois could furnish at least
| four possible candidates for the next con
| vention, and perhaps with good political
following behind each of them.
The reporter acquiesced in this asser-
| ton.
We'll, If I remember Alright there Is
good material In Illinois, and l think the
country has already had some excellent
men from this state, some whose names
will not be soon forgotten. But l must
not cet IN talking uyoiitics because, as 1
said before, man should think consider
ably upon an important subject before ex-
pressing any opinion abou; ii, and have
not thought OF politics at all for long
time"
Here q number Of visitors entered, and
as Mr.. Conklipg arose he said: Il am In
business now, and when you have anything
by ~hich you can throw in shoes'r!ng
and pull out q tannery, or something
equally intricate and profitable, come and
see me, and We viii talk II over he,ween
us, but / SIN emphatically out OF poll
tics